Fish lure



Aug. 3, 1937.

FISH LURE Filed Oct. 9, 1935 U: I. flavenpo ri s. F. DAVENPORT 2,088,775

Patented Aug. 3. 1937 This invention r OFFICE FISH LURE Sam F. Davenport,

Garrett, ImL, assignor to Creek Chub Bait Company. Application October 9; 1935, Serial No. 44,292v

12 Claims. elates to artificial lures or baits for fish, and has for its primary object to actions of a minnow.

More specifically tion to produce a l nary minnow.

A further object so shaping the rear act as a horizontal lure at the proper it is an of the invention resides in end of the lure that it will rudder in maintaining the depth in the water.

Another object of the invention consists in a HOVE] means for securing the forward gang hook to the lure body in a manner which not only of the fish. A further object the production of a lure which of the invention consists in is strong and durable in construction and operation.

Other objects tion will be in part parent from the and advantages of the invenpointed out and in part apfollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which,

Figure 1 is a side plete lure.

Figure 2 is a elevational view of the complan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view, and Figures 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views taken on lines 4- l, 55;

and 6-6, and showing certain details of construction.

In the production of fish lures it is highly desirable that the lure simulate the'action of minnows or the like so as to attract the larger fish,

that it present the hooks in a position most likely to be struck anced so as to manner throug strong and sturdy the fish, that it be well baltravel in a. more or less regular the. water, and that it be of construction and yet capable of quantity production at a moderate cost. These and other attractive features are all inherent in the artificial bait in detail.

The lure body is and is composed'of of suitable gauge.

15 erably bent transve which will now be described indicated by the numeral l a single piece of sheet metal The strip 01' metal is prefrsely to provide side walls 2 which taper toward the rear end as indicated by numeral 3.

Pressed into the lure l is a groove 4 which extends longitudinally of the body and provides an external rib 5 which acts in the nature of a. keel for the lure.

wardlyv as indicated in Figure 1 andserves as a guide or rudder as will later appear.

The metal stamping from which the lure body isformed is provided at its forward end with an enlargement such as the section 1 which is bent downwardly at substantially a right angle to the body of the lure. This section forms a support for the line attaching eye 8 which is positioned below the lure body, and it will be noted that the rib 5, which serves the dual function of a keel and reinforcement for the body, also extends into the head section l as indicated by numeral '9. It will be apparent therefore that the downturned end]! issuitably reinforced so as to retain its right-angular relation to the main body of the lure.

At a point intermediate the ends of the body I the lure is provided with a pair of transverse slits producing a bar l which is pressed upwardly as indicated in Figures 3 and 4. The bar I 0 forms a stop or hearing for the eye H of the forward book [2 and thus limits the inward movement of the hook with respect to the lure. This hook is releasably attached to the lure by a cotter key l3 provided with parallel legs l4 and IS the latter being formed with a hump l6 for receiving'the bar In. As will appear from an inspection of Figure the leg l4 passes under the bar I and through the eye ll of the hook while the leg l5 passes over the bar and is allowed to snap into closed position by reason of the arched portion l6 formed in the leg.

By reason of the above attaching means for the hook it is not only releasably held in position and thus readily replaceable by another hook but is also held in a. position which will suited for the catching of fish. It is desirable of course that. the hook should incline slightly to the rear when in use, as indicated in Figure 1, and to provide for such inclination the keel 5 is slightly flattened at the rear side of the slot, as indicated by numeral l1, thus allowing the eye H to assume the position shown in"1-igures 1 and 5.

The rear gang hook l8 may be anchored to this portion of the lure. The position of the hook when the lure is drawn through the water the I! with respect to the rear hook I8 is such. as will provide a proper balance for the complete device.

The lure as above described and as depicted in the drawing is highly efilcierit in operation.

impingement of the downturned end 1 against the water will cause the lure to swing, from side to side about the eye 8 as a pivot. The extent of this movement, which might otherwise be a darting movement, is modulated by the keel 5 and by the upturned sides 2 into a'wiggle such as is common with live minnows. It should be noted however that the particular transverse shape of the lure body is merely illustrative of one form which the invention may take and that other cross-sectional shapes may be employed to modify the wiggling effect of the lure it being essential only that some longitudinally-extending element be provided which is arranged more or less vertically so as to provide a desired amount of resistance to lateral movement of the lure.

The attaching eye 8 for the line being at the point indicated, which is below the main body of the lure, and the element 1 being inclined slightly to the rear as indicated in Figure 1 it will be apparent that there is a tendency for the lure to rise as it is drawn through the water. This tendency is overcome however by the downturned rear end 6 which acts as a horizontal rudder or vane and the lure therefore travels in a horizontal plane at a constant depth if reeled at a uniform The hook l2, by reason of its peculiar mounting is maintained in substantially the position shown in Figure 1 when in use and this position is of course highly advantageous in the catching of fish since the hook proper is entirely out of contact with the lure body and is exposed on all sides. .Moreover, the particular mounting of the hook prevents contact of the points with the lure body at all times and thus prevents marring of the lure when in use or in storage.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have devised a relatively inexpensive lure which may be stamped from sheet metalythat it is strong and durable in operationythat the design is such that a wiggle in close simulation of the action of a minnow is imparted to it as the lure is drawn through the water; that novel means for releasably attaching a hook to the lure body are provided; and that such means not only support the hook in a highly advantageous position for catching fish, but also prevent marring of the lure by eliminating possibility of contact of the hook therewith.

In accordance with the patent statutes 1 have described one of the preferred forms of the invention, but it is apparent that various modifications may be made without departing from the essentials of the invention and it is intended that all such modifications be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fish lure including a body stamped from sheet metal, said body comprising a longitudinally-extending rib or keel on the under-side thereof, and longitudinal side walls.

2. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet material, said body being provided with a rib-like keel extending substantially from end to end thereof, the front end of the body being bent portion with front and rear ends bent down- 10 wardly, a keel formed on said straight portion, and means for securing a fish line to the downturned front end below the plane of the straight portion.

5. Aflsh lure including a body formed of sheet 1- material, said body comprising a straight main portion with front and rear ends bent downwardly, longitudinally-extending sides on the straight portion, a rib formed on the under-side of the body and extending into the downturned front end, and a line securing eye attached to said front end.

6. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet material, said body being provided with a transverse slot, a bar integral with the body extending above the slot, 9; fish hook having its eye positioned in the slot, and means for releasably looking the eye to the bar.

'l. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet material, said body being provided with a transverse slot, an integral bar extending above the slot, a fish hook having its eye positioned in the slot, and a cotter pin releasably locking the eye to the bar.

8. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet 35 material, a rib-like keel formed on the underside of the body, said body being provided with a transverse slot, a bar extending above the slot,

a fish hook having its eye positioned in the slot,

means for locking the hook in position, said rib immediately at the rear of the slot being slightly flattened to permit rearward inclination of the hook.

9. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet material, said body being provided with a trans- 45 hook having its'eye positioned in the slot, and a cotter key having one leg extending through the eye and under the bar, and the other leg extending above the bar. I

10. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet material, said body being provided with a transverse slot, a bar extending above the slot, a fish hook having its eye positiond in the slot,

and a cotter key having one portion extending 55 under the bar and through the eye and another portion snapped over the bar.

11. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet material, said body being provided with a transverse slot, a bar extending above the slot, a fishhook having its eye positioned in the slot, a cotter key having a pair of legs one of which is straight and the other being provided with an outwardly looped portion, said straight leg extending through the eye and under the bar, and the 61 other leg passing over the bar with the latter positioned in the looped portion.

12. A fish lure including a body formed of sheet material, parallel transverse slits formed in the body and defining a bar pressed upwardly there- 7 from, a fish hook having its eye positioned in the slot provided by the pressed-up bar, and a cotter key for lockingthe hook in the slot.

SAM F. DAVENPORT. 1 

